German funded disaster prevention project to help communities in 12 provinces

The German government provided around 200,000 Euros (roughly 12 million Pesos) through Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, one of the major humanitarian aid organizations in Germany, to fund a disaster prevention project of 72 communities in 12 Philippine provinces.

The recently concluded project started in April 2009 and was implemented in the country’s eastern provinces which are deemed most vulnerable to typhoons. It was implemented in marginalized communities in Surigao del Sur and Norte, Agusan del Norte, Northern and Eastern Samar, Bicol, Quezon, Aurora, Quirino and Isabela. Training sessions on evacuation center management, emergency health and disaster prevention in the case of typhoons, floods and landslides were accompanied by emergency drills, hazard mapping and the establishment of an early warning system. In addition, the communities were equipped with training materials and emergency equipment.

The lessons learned by the Disaster Prevention Committees and the local residents were put to a test when the three major typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng and Santi hit the country during the project implementation last year. Those events proved that the project was a success and that preparing communities is crucial in mitigating the effects of natural calamities.

August 2010